Were you obsessed with how much God Loves you? Our Evangelical upbringing taught us that God loves you unconditionally… unless you don’t believe correctly, behave correctly, or die at the wrong time.

This week we’re unpacking the “conditional unconditional love” of God — the version many of us were raised on in evangelical culture.

We play our new game “Cute, Concerning, or Straight to Jail?” where we ask: Would this behavior be cute if God didn’t do it?

We dig into:

• Why evangelicals are so obsessed with preaching about God’s love
• The fine print behind “free, unearned grace”
• The theology of hell as the baseline
• Fear-based attachment and compliance training
• Fruit inspection and spiritual self-surveillance

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Ashley and Bailee turn the lens inward, reflecting on the moments they weren’t just harmed by evangelical culture—but actively upheld it.

In this episode, they unpack their own “villain origin stories,” examining how fear-based theology, certainty, and institutional power shaped the ways they judged, enforced, defended, and perpetuated harmful religious beliefs.

Together, they explore what accountability looks like after deconstruction—why naming harm matters even when it’s uncomfortable, how good intentions don’t negate real impact, and the hard truth that leaving toxic religion doesn’t automatically absolve us from the ways we once participated in it.

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Ashley and Bailee continue their conversation on the devil, moving from the origins of the mythology to how it showed up in their evangelical upbringing, other religions, and the culture at large. They reflect on the stories they were told in church, how fear became a theological tool, and what it meant to carry a hyper-present enemy into everyday life.
They also interrogate why the devil remains such a compelling figure in art, media, and pop culture—and what our fascination with him might reveal about power, personal accountability, and the nature of evil.

Ashley and Bailee continue their conversation on the devil, moving from the origins of the mythology to how it showed up in their evangelical upbringing, other religions, and the culture at large. They reflect on the stories they were told in church, how fear became a theological tool, and what it meant to carry a hyper-present enemy into everyday life.
They also interrogate why the devil remains such a compelling figure in art, media, and pop culture—and what our fascination with him might reveal about power, personal accountability, and the nature of evil.

Sources:
- Barr, J. (1992). The garden of Eden and the hope of immortality. Fortress Press.
- Collins, J. J. (2016). The apocalyptic imagination: An introduction to Jewish apocalyptic literature (3rd ed.). Eerdmans.
- Kelly, H. A. (2006). Satan: A biography. Cambridge University Press.
- Milton, J. (2007). Paradise lost (G. Teskey, Ed.). W. W. Norton & Company. (Original work published 1667)
- Pagels, E. (1995). The origin of Satan. Random House.
- Russell, J. B. (1984). Lucifer: The devil in the Middle Ages. Cornell University Press.
- Tulshyan, R., & Burey, J.-A. (2021, February 11). Stop telling women they have imposter syndrome. Harvard Business Review.
- VanderKam, J. C. (2001). An introduction to early Judaism. Eerdmans.

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Ashley and Bailee explore the origins of the devil and how our modern idea of Satan was shaped less by scripture and more by history, culture, and literature.

They trace the evolution of devil mythology through Jewish tradition, Persian dualism, Greek philosophy, medieval Christianity, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost—unpacking how fear-based imagery took hold and why literary works often filled in gaps the Bible never did.

Together, they examine what the Bible actually says (and doesn’t say) about the devil, challenging common assumptions and questioning how theology evolves alongside power and control.

✨ Plus: This episode marks the launch of the Praise Be to Pod Patreon. Support the show and access bonus content at patreon.com/praisebetopod.

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Ashley and Bailee continue their exploration of hell, this time reflecting on the personal impact of what they (and other evangelicals) were taught. They discuss how fear-based lessons shaped their beliefs, influenced their choices, and left lasting marks on faith, identity, and relationships—even after leaving evangelicalism.

Together, they examine the spiritually abusive nature of hell indoctrination, how the church uses it as a tool of control, and how letting go of hell became the catalyst for their deconstruction journey and spiritual liberation.

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Ashley and Bailee dive into the origins of hell and how it became one of the most powerful—and fear-driven—ideas in evangelical Christianity. They unpack where the concept comes from, how ancient cultures understood the afterlife, and what the Bible actually says when you look beyond modern translations.

From Sheol and Gehenna to Dante and revival-era preaching, they explore how the idea of hell evolved over time—shaped by politics, power, and control—into the version many evangelicals are taught today. Together, they ask how a loosely defined theological concept became a central tool for enforcing belief, behavior, and obedience, and what happens when that framework starts to unravel.

Timeline Sources:
- Bernstein, A. E. (1993). The formation of hell: Death and retribution in the ancient and early Christian worlds. Cornell University Press.
- Ehrman, B. D. (2020). Heaven and hell: A history of the afterlife. Simon & Schuster.
- Segal, A. F. (2004). Life after death: A history of the afterlife in Western religion. Doubleday.
- Wright, N. T. (2003). The resurrection of the Son of God. Fortress Press.

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In this episode, we join forces with Meg and Sarai from Holy Ghosting to discuss building community as podcast creators without competition. We dive into how we navigate life after religious upbringing, share personal experiences of unraveling faith, and discuss how to challenge what it looks like for each of us to live authentically. Discussing polyamory, queer identity, marriage, motherhood, and separate bedrooms, this conversation celebrates connection, curiosity, and the ways we support each other in reimagining our beliefs and creative spaces.

Connect with Holy Ghosting:
📸 Instagram: @holyghostingclub
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▶️ YouTube: @holyghosting
💻 Web: holyghosting.com

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Ashley and Bailee ring in the New Year by sharing what in 2026 they’re looking forward to and what they’re relieved to leave behind from 2025. Joined by their producer Jacob, they talk about the lessons, habits, and narratives that no longer serve them, as well as the things they’re genuinely excited to nurture in the year ahead—both personally and with Praise Be to Pod.

From complicated feelings about New Year’s resolutions to the quiet relief of letting go of old expectations, they unpack what it means to set intentions without falling back into shame, perfectionism, or spiritualized self-improvement.

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